Here is yet another Pinterest Infographic, I guess it does make sense there is an abundance of visual aids for a pin board social media site! Are you hooked??? Or are you resisting? They say “it’s spreading like a zombie apocalypse virus” and Pinterest users spend an average 98 minutes on site per month, third only to Tumblr (2.5 hours) and Facebook (7 hours). Antidote? None.
Cadbury Makes Its Google+ Page Out of Chocolate.
Cadbury loves Google+ and are pumping up on the great PR they have already received by switching their allegiances from Facebook. Not only has the UK-based chocolatier launched a product through Google’s social network, has also now created a chocolate version of its Google+ page.
The confection was created to celebrate a recent milestone: 500,000 “circlers,” or fans.
Cadbury chronicled the construction of its edible Google+ page through a series of 10 step-by-step photos, shown in this gallery.
Coke, Disney and Starbucks have been the clear winners in the Facebook popularity contest, however when it comes to Google’s Social Media platform these guys have taken their eyes off the ball! The Swedish clothing chain H&M have hit the ground running on Google+ and seem to have grasped exactly what is required to create a stir and grab the attention – Google only launched their brands pages in November last year and already H&M have a stonking 541,276 in their “Circles” of influence!
A H&M spokeswoman Jennifer Ward commented: “At Google+ we have chosen to focus on inspiration… nice images, films, and, of course, a lot of fashion.”
Ward says H&M doesn’t discuss the specifics of its social media strategies. However it clear they understand the “linked up” approach: lots of pics of people sporting H&M clothes, together with a quick caption. Even better, they include a link to buy the given clothing.
Experts have picked up some other key elements to H&M’s strategy on Google+, and laid out how Google’s platform differs from Facebook.
Post photos, and often
Nearly every post on H&M’s Google+ page includes a photo or video. For a fashion brand, that’s a no-brainer… H&M is selling clothing, which in ads means a lifestyle. The way to market this is not through words but through visuals.
For other brands, visuals may not be quite as important, the model depends on the brand. While visuals are always important, words—explanatory text—can be just as crucial.
You will notice H&M posts to Google+ quite frequently. For instance, the company posted more than two dozen photos to the site Monday, along with a few other updates.
“Ordinarily, I’d advise against this inundatory approach, but it’s hard to argue with H&M’s success,” says one social media expert.
According to Ward, “We think it is important to be active and post news every day, just as in our other social media channels, and we are also careful to make sure that what we publish is relevant to our followers.”
H&M knows its audience of shoppers looking for affordable, “indie” fashions and who often come to stores looking for new items. The content (on H&M’s Google+ page) is relatively ‘indie,’ and by extension, trendy, featuring artistic, aesthetically pleasing photos and videos filled with indie celebrity names like Sofia Coppola, Drew Barrymore, Milla Jovovich, Rose McGowan, Shirley Manson, Lykke Li, Freida Pinto, Mena Suvari, Anton Yelchin, Rashida Jones and David Beckham.
It has also been noted that H&M frequently posts about contests on its Google+ page.
“This is a tried-and-true-strategy from Facebook brand marketing that traditionally works well.”
Exclusivity
H&M constantly tells its Google+ following that the content is “exclusive” and they’re getting a “first look” at a new collection.
“We want our followers on Google+ to feel that what they get is unique compared to what that get by visiting for example hm.com, Facebook or Twitter,” Ward says.
That’s important, Campbell says. The page “replicates not only the experience of shopping in the store, on the website or via the catalog, but also cultivates the feeling of exclusivity for people who interact with and embody the brand by supplying a constant stream of interactive content tailored specifically to the G+ following.”
Google+ vs. Facebook
Ok so H&M is king of the mountain on Google+, but Google’s network is little more than a sand castle in comparison to Facebook’s Everest, and H&M itself has 20 times more fans on Facebook. Still brands should experiment with Google’s social media platform. Getting in at the still-ground level will allow you to embrace the spaghetti approach. Whatever sticks to the wall.
Some brands have tried to differentiate their Google+ pages from their Facebook pages through posting longer messages, says Joe Ciarallo of Buddy Media.
“Obviously that is different than Twitter, and slightly different than Facebook, where brands are either forced to, or choose to post short content because it sees higher engagement,” he says.
For Campbell, the big difference between Google+ and Facebook is all in the “circles” function.
“With this key tool, marketers get user interaction results in real-time,” she says. “No longer is there a need for private messaging or multiple email campaigns—content is both readily available within the network and targeted to different groups, all under the control of the account administrators.”
Campbell points out that H&M has blocked users from seeing who it’s added to its own circles. That may be a smart move, she says.
“I am safely betting that there are dedicated circles for each different type of user, from brand novices—people unfamiliar with H&M¡to brand advocators—people who promote H&M within their personal social networks.”
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Thanks to PR Daily and Matt Wilson from Ragan.com
Heineken wanted to create extra value from its sponsorship of the Open’er Festival in Poland, one of the world’s best music festivals. The aim of this campaign was to increase its number of fans while promoting the Heineken brand and its patronage of the Open’er event on Facebook in a unique and engaging way.
Graham Knowles – www.digitalguerilla.com.au @RAWTimes
Ok so I have to admit I was (still am slightly) miffed about the whole change to Facebook Brand/Business Pages, introducing Timeline Brand pages without any (well very little) warning. For those of us who have spent time and money developing our custom landing pages it was quite a shock… However that’s life on Facebook and you either accept it or get stuck in the past. I have found these wonderful and inspiring examples of how the new Timelined Brand page can be a real winner. Check out a “Like” these brilliant Not For Profit organisations.
1. Amnesty International :: facebook.com/amnestyglobal
2. Big Cat Rescue :: facebook.com/bigcatrescue
3. charity: water :: facebook.com/charitywater
4. Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis :: facebook.com/contemporaryartmuseumstl
5. (GLAAD) Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation :: facebook.com/GLAAD
6. Goodwill Industries International :: facebook.com/GoodwillIntl
7. Greenpeace International :: facebook.com/greenpeace.international
8. International Rescue Committee :: facebook.com/InternationalRescueCommittee
9. Mercy Housing :: facebook.com/mercyhousing
10. SOS Children’s Villages :: facebook.com/soschildrensvillages
11. Survival International :: facebook.com/survival
Thanks for checking these pages out and hopefully you have remembered to “Like” a few/all of them.
PLEASE NOTE: We are not a Non for Profit org, I like to think we do some good things but lets be clear – we are a Fair Dinkum Aussie web development and Social Media Marketing Agency and are not hiding behind these wonderful organisations trying to ride on their coat tails… We love these pages and hope you do too. If you like this blog then maybe you will help us along the way with a quick “Like” to our new Facebook Brand Page too… THANK YOU!
Digital Guerilla Sydney
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